Guiding Star
by sunnyontheheights
Summary: What would have happened if Emma never made it down the beanstalk in time for Mulan to chop it down? What if Hook had broke free from her little trap, and come after her? When Emma collides with the devious pirate, Cora's magic drops them straight through a portal, and both find themselves in a place neither had expected… Neverland. ... Captain Swan, AU.
1. Backstabbing

**Okay. This is my first Once Upon a Time fanfiction. I am a die-hard Captain Swan shipper, so I hope all my fellows out there enjoy this piece of work! :) **

**And please, please review! Love you all,**

—**Sunny**

* * *

_"Breaking your heart was never my intention._

_Playing with parts too fragile in the ending. "_

—_Alien, Cary Brothers_

* * *

"What are you doing?" Hook stared at Emma, shock and hurt mixing in his dark blue eyes. He took a step toward Emma, his hand jerking in the chain. "What are you doing?"

Emma swallowed. "Hook I…" She took a step back. "I… I can't…"

"Emma." His voice was strained. "Look at me. Have I told you a lie? I brought you here. I risked my own safety to help you. The compass is in your hand. Why do this to me now?"

Emma swallowed, harder this time. Her voice faltered. "I can't take a chance that I'm wrong about you." She bit her lip. "I'm sorry.

"You're sorry?" Hurt turned to anger. He lunged against the chain. "You're _sorry? _I got you here! I got you the compass!"

"I got the compass," Emma snapped, taking a second step back.

"You're just going to leave me here to die? Have that beast to eat me, crush my bones?"

Anger sparked inside her. "He's not a beast. And you're _not_ going to die." She looked at him, willing him to understand. "I just need a head start – that's all."

She turned on her heel, not trusting herself to meet his wounded gaze again, and began sprinting for the massive double doors.

"Swan," he cried out. Emma shut her eyes, trying to deafen herself to his pleading.

"Swan! _Swan!"_

Emma didn't realize she was crying until she'd made it halfway to the beanstalk.

* * *

Hook rattled the chain, cursing her as her footsteps pounded away. That blasted girl. She knew how to play the game far too well. He'd let his guard down, and she'd gotten under his skin. _Curse _her. He should have known better. She was going to pay. If Hook excelled at anything, it was revenge.

Booming footsteps rattled the ground, and Hook staggered on his feet. He looked up to see Anton approaching. He swore again.

"Here to finish the job?"

Anton furrowed his brow, his lips puckering. "As much as I'd love to, she told me specifically not to."

Hook pretended the words didn't catch him off guard. "And why would she do that, pray tell?"

The giant shrugged. "Beats me. Seems to be a pretty lousy way to treat your partner."

"You don't say," Hook growled. He twisted his arm in the cuff, but it was no use. He was going nowhere. He tilted his head back to look up at the giant. "Don't think you could break this chain for me, eh, lad?"

"No. Emma told me to make sure you stayed put."

"And since when were you and Emma on such chummy terms?"

"Since when did you piss her off bad enough to ditch you here like that?"

Hook glared. "Pirates are used to getting stabbed in the back. I should have seen it coming."

"Emma never struck me as the backstabbing type."

"That makes two of us she fooled then."

Anton's frown deepened. "Look, I like Emma. But I'm not one for betraying your friends. I'll let you go this one time. Go apologize to her for whatever you did. "

Hook stopped yanking at the chain. "What? You'd do that?"

"For her. Not for you. I don't want her to live with a betrayal like that on her conscience." Anton stooped and pinched the iron cuff of the chain between two forefingers. Before Hook could even flinch the giant snapped the metal cuff in two, sending a shudder of pain up through Hook's wrist.

"Ouch," he grunted.

"Didn't say it was going to be painless."

Hook drew back his hand, massaging his wrist where the manacle had cut into it. "I suppose I ought to thank you."

"If you weren't a pirate, I'd ask for it. But seeing as you are, I'll just advise you to get going. She's already got a big lead on you."

"Much obliged, mate." Hook touch a fingertip to his temple in brief salute, then turned on his heel and jogged for the beanstalk.

* * *

Emma skidded to a stop before the stone rim of the beanstalk. Placing one foot on the edge, she leaned forward and peered down. She'd never had a head for heights. Dizzying miles of air stretched out below her, swirling with mist. Emma reeled back, her head spinning. Right then. Don't look down.

She was just about to step up onto the ledge and leap onto the beanstalk when a pair of strong arms closed around her waist, jerking her back against a firm chest. A voice chuckled in her ear, the breath hot against her neck.

"Didn't think you'd be rid of me that easily, love?"

Emma gasped. She struggled against the hold, but he was much stronger than her. His arms clamped around hers, pinning them to her sides.

"How did you get out of that?" she demanded.

He smiled against her ear. "Your big friend seems to have a warmer heart than you, darling."

Emma growled. "Anton."

"Oh, don't blame the giant, lass. It's only thanks to him our lovely little reunion was made possible."

"You're not stopping me from getting Henry!"

"And you're not stopping me from getting my revenge."

He spun her around in his arms so she was pressed flat against his chest, her forehead inches from his lips. She squirmed, but his grip crushed the breath out of her. Holding her firmly in place with one arm, he raised his hook to her face. Satisfied when he saw a flash of fear in her hazel eyes, he slid the cool metal hook down the skin of her cheek, resting it along the soft corner of her mouth.

"I don't take kindly to partners that stab me in the back."

"You would have done the same," she snapped, and he allowed himself a brief flash of admiration for her spunk in the face of such a threat.

"Actually, no." He was pleased to see the flicker of surprise in those striking eyes. He lowered the hook so that it rested just above her throat. She swallowed, shifting the cruel metal claw.

"Please, Killian," she whispered. "I've got to get back to my son."

Before he could respond, the ground shuddered beneath them, knocking them both off balance. Hook released his hold on her, throwing his arms out to catch his balance. Emma jerked forward, stumbling right into his chest, and her hands closed around his tunic to steady herself.

"What—" he started.

"Mulan!" Emma gasped. "She's cutting down the beanstalk!"

"Why would she do such a thing with you still up here?"

"I told her to give us ten hours. Blast it, Hook, you held me up and now it's too late! We'll never get down in time!"

The ground pitched beneath their feet once more. Acting on instinct, Hook caught Emma around the waist before she could fall. Her fists tightened on his jacket.

"This whole place is going to come down," she cried, hanging onto him as the ground continued to roll.

"No need to fret, love." Hook couldn't help but smile at the way she clung to his jacket. He pulled a small vial from his pocket, holding it up between the both of them.

"What is that?" Emma demanded.

"Oh, just a little something I pinched from Cora while her back was turned." Hook unstopped the vial, praying he'd been right about this little trinket.

"What does it do?"

"No idea." Grinning at her, he reached out and grasped her hand, pulling her flush against him. "Let's find out, shall we?"

Emma opened her mouth to protest, just as he turned the vial upside-down, emptying its contents over the both of them. Brilliant violet powder shimmered through the air, enveloping their bodies. Emma gasped, coughing as she breathed it in.

The ground began to crumble beneath them.

"Hold on tight," he rasped into her ear, clutching her with a bit more tension than he would've cared to admit.

The world vanished in an explosion of smoke and dust.

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**Mwahaha. Sorry, first cliffhanger of the story. :) Please, please review! I loooove all your comments. I should have the next chapter up soon.**


	2. Neverland

**WOW! I'm overwhelmed by such a hugely encouraging response. Almost 20 reviews in 24 hours! That's the most I've ever gotten! You guys totally make my day. Each review is a special little treat, I thrive off of them! Más, más, por favor. :)**

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_"You are the piece of me I wish I didn't need. _

_Chasing relentlessly—still fine and I don't know why._

_If our love is tragedy why are you my remedy?_

_If our love's insanity why are you my clarity?"_

—_Clarity, Zedd._

* * *

Bright sunlight lit the back of her eyelids in a searing orange glow. Emma groaned and rolled over onto her side. Soft white sand met her face. Frowning, she opened her eyes. Slowly, painfully, she sat up.

The sky stretched on for miles around, brilliant blue with not a cloud in sight. The soft rustle of palm fronds met her ears, and she looked up to see half a dozen palm trees surrounding her, swaying in a light sea breeze. Brilliant blue waters danced just a hundred paces away, lapping against the gleaming white shore. A low moan off to her side made her whip around. Hook lay sprawled on the sand beside her, a grimace on his face as his eyelids fluttered.

She knew she had to get away from him. Escape somehow. But where could she go? She didn't know this place. Where on earth had his blasted magic powder sent them? Or where… not on earth.

Hook sat up, running a hand back through his sandy tousled hair. His dark eyes roved the beach, narrowing, then came to rest on her.

"Where are we?" she demanded.

He heaved a sigh, dropping back to land flat on his back in the sand. "Last place I wanted to be," he groaned.

_"Where?"_

He clenched his eyes shut, screwing up his face. "Neverland."

Emma stared at him. "Neverland," she repeated.

"Too right, darling. I'd hoped never to lay eyes on this place again."

Emma stared at him for a moment. Then she lurched to her feet and began walking away across the sand.

"Now just where do you think you're going?"

She didn't answer. She was seething. If Hook hadn't held her up at the last moment, she'd be on her way to Henry right now. Now she was trapped in another world without any means to get back. This was all his fault. She didn't hear him come up behind her, so she gasped in surprise when he snagged her wrist in his hook.

"Lass, let's talk about this a moment—"

Emma whirled and lashed out with her fist, satisfied to hear a resounding crack as it connected with his jaw. Hook staggered backwards, his eyes flying wide in shock, and she spun around, sprinting across the sand. But he recovered faster than she. His arms closed around her waist, pinning her arms at her sides and snapping her back against his broad chest much like he had before they'd dropped through the portal. She struggled, stomping down on his foot, but he only held her tighter, crushing the breath from her.

"Let me go!" she gasped.

"No can do," he grunted close to her ear, only slightly irritated. "There's something you need to know about this place. This is—"

A startling _zphhwt _made Emma jump in his arms. A feathered dart shuddered in the sand at her feet. She felt Hook exhale behind her.

"…Cannibal Cove," he finished.

Panic surged in Emma's chest. She struggled harder in his arms, and he thankfully released her, but only to grab her hand and tug her along after him.

"Come on, we've got to get to high ground!"

"What—"

Her query was drowned out by the shrill warble of at least three dozen stark naked savages tearing across the sand toward them, feathers and war paint plastered across their sun browned skin. Emma's heart leaped into her throat. Hook yanked her after him, and she stumbled into a run.

Darts streaked the air around them, pelting the sand. Emma gasped when she felt a sharp stab of pain in her calf. She kept running, ignoring the burn that slowly spread up the back of her leg.

They reached the forest line and ducked into the trees, climbing the slope into the forested mountains at a rapid pace. She could hear the cannibals screaming in rage behind them. They ducked between boulders, jumped over creeks, and hopped ravines, all the while climbing higher and higher.

Finally, the rabid shrieks faded away into the distance. Emma panted, dropping to her knees. She felt dizzy and lightheaded.

"Hook…" she rasped. "I think…. I think I…"

He looked down at her, his eyes sweeping the bamboo shafted dart embedded in her leg. His face blanched.

"Poison darts," he whispered.

Emma thought she would puke at the expression on his face. "Poison…?"

And then the world tipped sideways and she knew no more.

* * *

Emma awoke to a gentle rocking motion. She groaned and opened her eyes, staring up into a huge indigo sky. Brilliant stars littered the blue expanse, glimmering like a thousand diamonds in the cool darkness. The dark outlines of palm trees swayed against the night backdrop, moving past her at a steady pace. Emma frowned. She realized a strong pair of arms supported her beneath her back and knees, her head nestled up against a warm shoulder.

"Ah, you're awake. Finally. I was hoping I wouldn't have to try Sleeping Beauty's kiss."

Emma stiffened. "Put me down."

"I'm not sure that's such a good id—"

She jerked out of his arms, shoving him back, and fell to the ground. She tried to struggle to her feet, but gasped with sudden weakness and slumped back to the sand. Hook laughed and slid his arms around her once more, lifting her again.

"Perhaps you should consider listening to me more, love. It'd save you quite a lot of pain."

Emma gritted her teeth as he continued to carry her. "What did they shoot me with?"

"A substance that imbues paralysis in its unfortunate victims," he replied. "You're lucky I got it out in time. The effects should wear off soon. You'll be feeling a bit tipsy over the next few days."

"Next few days?" she repeated, her voice growing shrill. "I'm not staying here for a few days! I have to get back to Storybrooke! I have to get back to Henry!"

"All in good time, lass. I've no more magic powder with me at present. But if we get back to my ship, I'm sure we could rustle up something."

"I don't want to go back to your ship. I want to go home."

Hook sighed, adjusting her in his arms. As he did so, a strange burst of sensations exploded in her stomach. Unnerved, she removed her gaze from his face, focusing on the sky instead.

"Unfortunately, darling, you'll have to put up with it if you want to return to your little fellow." He stopped, looking down at her, and she was forced her meet his gaze. "We ought to find a place to take shelter for the night. The creatures that roam these mountains aren't the sweetest."

It took only a few minutes for him to find a small cave in the mountain face, the entrance sheltered by a hanging curtain of lichen. He set her down just inside the mouth, and set to work building a fire. Emma sat, stretching her legs and trying to regain the feeling in them, while she watched him work. The muscles rippled in his back as he leaned forward, snapping the thin branches to build a small teepee, then striking flint and steel together to light the dry wood. She had to look away.

"I suppose there's worse people to be sharing a cave with," Hook said, looking back at her with a cheeky grin that made her heart flutter. She swore inwardly. He shouldn't make her have such a reaction. He was a no good, untrustworthy sea scalawag. He arced a eyebrow, noting the expression on her face.

"I do hope I don't have to worry about you double-crossing me again," he added.

She glared at him. With a resigned shrug, Hook settled himself against the wall. She waited until she heard the sound of his breathing soften. Then, keeping her footsteps light as a cat's, she crept toward him. If she could hit him hard enough to knock him out long enough, she could escape. She could find her own way back to Storybrooke, without a pirate on her tail. Taking a deep breath, she steeled herself, and made for a quick jab at his solar plexus.

His hand shot out, catching her by the wrist and twisting her arm in a painful grip. Emma yelped, and tried to pull back, but he yanked her forward until she landed between his legs.

"Really , love? This is how you treat me after all I've done for you?" He sighed. "Now what were you planning on doing once you subdued me? Tromp around in the dark until you were eaten by a roaming werecat?" At her pale expression, he laughed. "Oh, yes, we have those here and much more."

With an irritated glare, he turned her around so he wouldn't have to look at her. Emma cried out in protest when he wrapped both arms around her, pulling her snug against his chest, his arms caging her so that she couldn't move a muscle. She struggled, but the man's hold was like an iron trap.

"What are you doing?" she demanded.

"Trying to get some sleep," came the weary reply. "I won't be able to get any shut eye knowing you're prowling around free to punch me senseless all night long. This arrangement is far more manageable."

"Okay. I promise I won't try anything," Emma huffed, squirming against his grip. She couldn't budge his arms an inch. He only chuckled behind her, ruffling her hair and making an odd shiver ripple across her abdomen.

"Oh, I know you won't. Now hush. I need my beauty sleep, you know."

Emma growled, writhing in his arms with all her might. He only pulled her tighter against him.

"You may as well quit. That's not going to get you anywhere."

"I'm not quitting till you let me go!"

"I'll let you go in the morning. Now _quiet. _You'd be prudent to try and catch some rest as well. We've got a long walk ahead of us tomorrow to my ship."

Emma glared daggers into the opposite cave wall, but finally gave up her struggles. His chest rose and fell behind her, brushing against her shoulder blades. She stiffened when he pressed his face against the crook of her neck, sighing in exhaustion. His breath tickled the hair on the back of her neck, and it was all she could do to fight another shiver. Soon his breathing evened out, becoming deep and regular. Despite her predicament, it felt oddly comforting.

With a sigh of resignation, she laid her head back against his chest. His heart beat loud and strong against her body, bringing back memories of Neal. Not painful memories, like her fresher ones, but warmer ones, from many years ago.

She allowed her eyes to drift closed. She'd never slept outside before. The wild sounds from the night outside made her suddenly grateful Hook had stopped her half-brained escape plan. The warm weight of his arms around her felt strong and protective, and she realized it wasn't the worst position she could be in. Giving into her exhaustion, she snuggled back into his chest and drifted off to sleep, listening to the sound of his heartbeat.

* * *

**Okay, guys. Please review. Seriously. I have no idea where to go from here. Give me ideas! It's early enough on in the story I can incorporate anything you want into this story. The plot's just a baby, so it needs lots of support, haha. :) Thanks! **


	3. Kidnapped

**Wow. Sorry for the delay in updates, I've been super busy. My Nigerian dwarf goat just had twin babies (They are so small, like five inches tall and fuzzy all over—**_**soooo **_**cute. hnnnng.) Anyway, their mama rejected them so I have to get up every four hours and bottle-feed them, yes even at three in the morning, so I'm gonna be pretty exhausted. But I'll still try to update regularly. Expect the next update in a week or so. **

**Your prayers/thoughts would be much appreciated for my baby goats' survival! I sure hope the mama takes them back…**

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_"__Loving__ you is like trying to touch a star, I know I can never reach you, but I can't help but try.__"_

* * *

Warm sunlight trickled in through the lichen at the entrance of the cave, teasing Emma's face in a soft warm glow. She shifted against the warmth that enveloped her back, a slow yawn catching her mouth. Slowly, she opened her eyes. And stiffened.

A pair of strong arms were wrapped around her, one around her waist and the other across her stomach, pulling her flush against a firm chest. Hook's nose was buried in her shoulder, the stubble of his chin scratchy against her bare skin, and his warm breath tickled over her collarbone. A shiver curled in the pit of her stomach. She tried to slip her hands under his arms, prying him off of her. But he only inhaled through his nose and slid his arms up over hers, pinning her against his chest. Emma gasped.

"Let go," she demanded.

"Mmm," he murmured into her ear. "But Swan, you're so much more manageable in this position."

Emma growled, "I'll show you manageable." She drove her elbow back into his ribs, satisfied to hear a pained grunt. His grip slackened, and she wrenched out of his arms, rolling to her knees on the cave floor. He chuckled, the laugh coming out raspy and a bit pinched.

"You know, usually I get a different reaction from the women I meet."

Emma just glared at him and brushed the dust from the cave floor off her jeans. "Now what, Captain?" she demanded. "You said you had a way to get back home."

"Oh, I've got a few schemes. But all of them involve having some sort of breakfast first."

Emma rolled her eyes. "I'm not wasting any more time here. I need to get to my son."

"Aye. And I'm sure Henry will be much appreciative if you're not keeling over from hunger."

Emma glared a him a moment. Then she huffed. "Fine. You got a bow?"

He lifted an eyebrow, then gestured to his hook. "Do I look like I have a bow? And since when were you an archer?"

"My mother's taught me a few things." Emma sighed. "Well, fine. Give me your knife, then."

"You expect to bring down Neverland game with this trinket?"

"Never underestimate what Prince Charming and Snow White's daughter can do when she's hungry."

Without waiting for permission, Emma reached forward, snatched Hook's dagger from his belt, turned and marched from the cave. He stood staring after her, a mix between a scowl and a smirk on his face.

* * *

Emma trekked across the mountainside, the hot sun beating down against her back, and told herself for the thirtieth time she wasn't abandoning him. As tempting as it was, she had no idea how to navigate this blasted fairy tale land and find a fabled pirate ship all on her own so she could get back to Henry. That was the only reason. That and… she couldn't bring herself to betray him like that again. Not after he'd gone through the trouble of saving her life. Twice.

She fiddled with the dagger in her hands as she walked, drawing it from the leather sheath and turning it so it gleamed in the morning sun. There was a soft inscription on the base of the blade, near the hilt, in flowing etched script. Emma lifted it to her eyes and squinted.

_"Never give up."_

Hmm. That would explain a lot about Hook's obsession with vengeance. Emma turned the knife over in her fingers, surprised to see a second, smaller inscription on the back, in gentler, swirling script.

_Milah. _

Something tightened in the back of her throat.

"It was hers," said a deep voice behind her.

Emma yelped and whirled around, raising the dagger out of instinct. Hook caught her hand before she could do something stupid, a tight grin on his face. The smile didn't reach his eyes.

"What—did you _follow _me?" Emma spluttered.

He shrugged. "Couldn't well have to running off and leaving me again, now could I?" He applied some pressure to the tendons of her wrist, forcing her to release her hold on the dagger. He caught it in his other hand, not releasing his grip on her.

"The dagger," he said softly, turning it over in his hand. Milah's name glinted in the brilliant sunlight. "It was hers. I gave it to her for our one-year engagement. Popped it from a sea merchant on the way to Terraluga. She was never good with it, but she was determined to learn." He smiled, the old mist of memory clouding his blue eyes. "Told her it was blessed by a sun spirit." He chuckled. "She believed me. Told her no harm could come to her whenever she carried it. And none did. That day… with the Crocodile, she… she dropped it." His voice faltered, and his fingers slid, one by one, off her wrist, his hand dropping to his side. Emma felt her heart begin to ache, and she couldn't describe why. Without thinking, she reached out and laid a hand on the pirate's arm.

"Hey," she said, softening her voice. "I know what it's like to lose someone. The only thing I had left from my parents when I dropped into this world was a tacky blanket." She took a deep breath, beating back a flood of remembered pain. No. Mary Margaret and David were here now, they'd never abandoned her, she was _wanted. _Hook… he had no one. No one but his crocodile to hunt down. And what would happen to his life once he found him? Where would he go? To whom could he go?

"Look," she said, tightening her grip on his arm. "It's easy to try and cover up all that pain with hatred. To put a face to your scars, someone you can focus your bitterness toward. But revenge doesn't heal anybody. It's like putting duct tape over an open wound. It may seal it for a moment, but as soon as you rip it off—as soon as you take your revenge—you're bleeding on the inside all over again. You've built your life around something that will never bring Milah back. Once you take Gold down, what's next? You'll have nothing. Nothing to go back to, nothing to help get your feet under you again."

"Swan." He reached up, closing his hand over her own, and slowly removed hers from his arm. "You may think you understand me, but please don't try to play doctor. You have your parents. Your wounds are all stitched up, shiny and pink. You don't have to walk around with a gaping hole in your chest where a monster reached in and ripped your heart out." He sighed, dropping his eyes from hers, and turned away. "You can't fix me, Swan. I'm already gone. I died when he took Milah from me. You're looking at a shell. A shell with one purpose, and one purpose only. To catch and gut a crocodile. After that, hell can take me. I'll have nothing else to live for."

Emma bit her lip. "Killian…"

His shoulders tensed at the sound of his real name. But he kept walking, spinning the knife expertly between his fingers. "Come along, love. I'll show you how to make a proper bow."

* * *

Hook led Emma up the side of the mountain, pausing only once to lop a sapling from the ground with his sword. As he walked, he began to whittle away at the wood, bending it and strapping it to a slight curve with a long twisted leather strap he tore from the hem of his coat. He handed it back to Emma without turning around. Taking it her hands, Emma felt her jaw fall slack. She marveled at the smooth, effortlessly polished wood, the tension in the drawback, the slight recurve he'd managed to create in the bow. She held it firm between her hands and pulled back on the string, testing the draw. She glanced up Hook.

"What about arrows?"

"Got you covered, darling." He tossed something back to her, which she caught. She turned it over in her hands. It was a thin wooden shaft, about the length of her forearm, with a sharpened tip. She hadn't even noticed him carving it.

"Here." Emma skidded to a stop, almost running smack into his back. He turned and plopped three more arrows into her hands. "That ought to last you for the morning. Now go see if you can't pop a deer or something, I'm going to go set us some traps."

He turned and began walking further into the woods, then stopped and turned back to her once more.

"Oh, and here. If you still want this." He tossed her the knife, and she caught it by the leather sheath. She looked down at it, her heart tightening. He'd really entrust her with something so precious? But when she looked back up, opening his mouth to say he should take it back, but he was already walking away. Emma looked after him for a moment, until he disappeared into the shadows, then turned back and faced the trees.

The sunlight slanted in through the leaves high above, tossing dappled patterns over the leaf-strewn floor. Emma tucked three of the arrows into her belt, then notched the fourth into the bowstring, holding it ready. During her time in the Enchanted Forest, Mary Margaret had taught her enough about archery that she could strike most targets. She had her mother's innate skill. She only hoped it was enough to bring down some sort of meat creature today in Neverland. She could hear her stomach growling, and focusing on a direct solution to this simple problem kept her mind from wrapping around Henry.

She made her way through the trees, her boots soundless against the soft forest floor. She kept her eyes peeled for any sign of life. What kind of creatures even lived in this realm? A deer would be nice, but Hook had said something about a werecat. Wonderful. What other kind of monster critters roamed these forests? Her hands tightened around the bow.

A twig snapping off to her right made her tense. Slowly, she crouched down, turning. She squinted through the trees. At first, she saw nothing. Then her eyes caught the slightest movement through the undergrowth. An ear flickered, then a tail. She made out the dappled coat of a deer, glowing in the sunlight, moving with lazy grace over the forest floor as the creature picked at the grass. A smile twisted her lips.

_Sorry, Bambi_, she thought. She sure hoped it wasn't _actually _Bambi. Who knew what kind of creatures were wrapped up in this fairy tale world.

Pressing the thought away, she lifted the bow, drawing back the arrow so that the notched end of the shaft rested against her cheek. She adjusted her aim, holding the deer just below the sharpened tip of the arrow. Her muscles tensed to release.

"What do you think you're doing here?"

Emma swore, accidently releasing the arrow in her surprise. It smacked against a tree just behind the deer, and the creature's head snapped up. With a disgruntled snort it turned and bounded away into the forest.

Emma turned, ready to chew out whoever had lost her her breakfast, and looked up into the face of a child. She blinked. He was no older than Henry, ten or eleven at most. His tousled brown hair hung down into his sparkling blue eyes, and he had that same crooked grin that infuriated her so much about Hook. He wore a simple brown tunic cinched with a leather braided belt just above his belly-button. He fisted his hands on his hips and cocked his head down at her.

"Oi, oldie. I asked you a question."

Emma stared at him. "Oldie?"

The boy grinned, sporting crooked teeth. "You a grown-up. You don't belong here in Neverland. So I ask you again. What you think you're doing here? You working with the pirates? You here to spy on us? Here to take our game?"

"Uh." Emma looked down at the bow in her hands. "I'm hunting for breakfast."

"Ah. So it's the game. Y'know, I know someone who'd be real anxious to meet you."

With that, he stuck two fingers in his mouth and let out a piercing whistle. Almost at once, three more figures dropped down from the trees, thudding to the ground to encircle Emma. She lurched to her feet, pivoting. They were all children, the oldest one no older than nine. She frowned, but her danger sense had caused her heartbeat to quicken. She looked back at the oldest boy.

"Look, kid. I don't want any trouble. My friend and I just need to get back to a pirate ship. Then we'll be on our way."

"Oh-ho?" The boy looked positively thrilled. He cocked his head and turned to the fourth—and smallest—boy of the party. "Tootles, go tell boss we got a pirate gal for him. He'll be thrilled." He turned back to Emma and reached back into his pocket. Emma took a step back, a flood of premonition surging through her.

"What are you—"

A fistful of sparkling pink powder exploded in her face. She coughed, dropping to one knee. Her head started to spin. The kid with the crooked grin was growing harder and harder to focus on.

"What… what did you…"

"All right, boys, let's bring her in."

And with that, Emma saw stars explode in front of her eyes. With a defeated _"Oof" _she pitched over backwards and slumped to the ground. The treetops spun and swirled high above her, and then darkness rushed in.

* * *

Emma groaned. It felt like she had a hangover. Her body ached and her head hurt like something she wouldn't say in front of Henry. Henry!

Her eyes snapped open. She tried to sit up, but a surge of nausea made her stagger back, clutching at her mouth. Her head spun. She waited for it to clear, before slowly propping herself up onto her elbows, squinting around through watery eyes at her surroundings.

She lay on a hammock, made of some kind of animal skin, swinging from what looked like thick tree branches. Emma sat up, slowly. Umbrellas hung from the earthen side of the dugout, side by side with bows and arrows and sling shots and short swords and daggers. Emma let her gaze travel up to the ceiling. This whole place was made of crisscrossed branches and roots, draped with skins and dirty clothes and hammocks of all sorts.

"Ah. Someone's awake."

Emma turned toward the door. A young man stood there, one hand on his hip, a sly grin on his face. Emma stared. He didn't look like one of those children at all. He stood tall, a lot taller than her. He looked lean and sinewy, but had that kind of whipcord strength about him that told her he was not to be underestimated. Messy copper hair hung across his forehead, and mischievous blue eyes gleamed beneath arced brows. He looked hardly older than nineteen: handsome features, with a light dusting of hair along the bottom of his jaw.

Emma stared at him as he entered the dugout, trying not to let her heart pound out of her chest. Oh, no. She had a feeling she knew exactly who this was. The way he fingered that wicked-looking dagger at his belt, the way his feet just barely ghosted over the floor, hovering in an uncanny way, like some sort of phantom. He stopped in front of her, his mouth curving in a crooked grin. Then he reached forward, took her hand, and gave a deep, swooping bow, pressing his lips to the backs of her knuckles.

"Welcome to Hangman's Tree, m'lady. The name's Peter." He straightened, his bright blue eyes taking in every inch of her in a way that made her want to shrink back. His grin stretched even wider.

"Peter Pan."


	4. Hangman's Tree

**Sorry for the delay. Trouble with baby goats. Bah.**

**Ahhhh. Okay, so after watching the Season Finale, I realize that this is probably not canon anymore, since "Peter Pan" has been turned into some creepy shadow thing and the Lost Boys aren't even lost boys. I mean, come on, Eddie and Adam! Get it right. **

**Bahh. Okay, that's my rant. Now's for the story. By the way, I SOOOOO appreciate all your guys reviews, they totally make my day, I eat them up like chocolate over here. I kind of do an embarrassing little dance on my tiptoes whenever I get one. :) **

**And **_**yes, **_**I named one of the lost boys Rufio, after the kid from the movie **_**Hook**_**played by Dante Basco (I couldn't resist, I adore Dante). **

**Sooo… without further ado. Chapter 4.**

* * *

Emma stared at the young man before her, her jaw slack.

"Peter… Pan. As in… Peter Pan?"

He grinned at her, sporting startling white teeth. "Unless you know of another who goes by that name, yes, that is I." He gave her a second grand bow. "At your service, madam."

Emma blinked, slowly. "But, I mean… you're not… You're a kid. You're supposed to be a kid."

He arced an eyebrow at her. "Am I not? I've not yet reached my twentieth year." At this he gave her a cheeky kind of smile, his gaze traveling down her again in a way that made her instantly wary. "And I assure you, I never will."

Emma tried to get down from hammock, swinging her feet over the side of the taut animal skin. Her head swirled, and she almost toppled. Before she could blink, he was at her side, supporting her with a strong hand under her elbow.

"Whoa there," he admonished. "Take it easy. Don't try to rush it."

"Gosh," Emma groaned, reaching up to press the heel of her hand against her eyelids. Stars rippled against her vision. "What did you give me?"

"Nothing that won't wear off after a hearty drink and some food in your stomach. Come on." He half-lifted her from the hammock, setting her feet gently on the soft ground. "I'll introduce you to the boys. They'll love you."

Emma grimaced, rubbing the back of her neck where it was still sore from cracking her head against the ground when they'd knocked her out. "They've sure got a fine way of showing love around here."

Pan laughed. She allowed him to lead her out of the dugout and into a spacious cavern. Torches rimmed the earthen walls, tossing flickering light over everything. A long wooden table stretched the length of the room, at least a half a dozen fur-clad boys crammed around it. Some perched on short wooden stools, slurping soup from little clay bowls, while others stood on the table itself, climbing over the others in an attempt to spoon themselves second helpings. One boy lolled upside-down from the ceiling, his knees hooked over a low-hanging tree root, sipping his supper with expert care.

They all looked up at Emma and Peter's entrance. The boy Emma recognized as the one who'd tossed the magic knockout powder in her face, and she returned his toothy grin with a glare.

"Princess finally awakes!" he crowed. "I'd say sorry for the rude introduction, but actually I'm not sorry 'cuz I _love _using that stuff. People get the funniest expressions on their faces right before they pass out." He jabbed out a hand. "Name's Rufio. Second in command."

Emma stared at the hand for a moment. Then, pulling away from Peter, she took it. "Emma," she said cautiously.

Another boy, one smaller than Rufio, bounced forward. "Hey! I'm Nibs. You're pretty."

Emma couldn't help but smile at that one. "It's nice to meet you, Nibs. How old are you?"

"I'm ten," he declared proudly.

_Ten. _Her throat cinched up. Just a year younger than Henry. _Stop it, Emma, _she told herself. _Now is not the time. You'll get back to him. _She had to.

She learned their names so fast she was sure she'd lose track. Rufio was the oldest, next to Pan, at twelve. Nibs came second, then Slightly, who was ten as well. Next came Curly, a round little fellow with two front teeth that stuck out past his lower lip. He was nine. Then came the Twins, Binky and Marmaduke, who were eight. The last name she absorbed before she gave up was Tootles, the youngest, a cute kid with a red nose and freckles spattering his mud stained face. Her head was spinning with all the new introductions by the time Peter steered her over to the table.

"All right, that's enough from the lot of you. Let's not swarm our guest when she needs to eat." He made a shooing motion with his hand, and the crowd of little people scurried away. "Now git, all of you! Nibs, see to the riggings at the front of the tree, will you? And Curly, set up those traps. Can't have our pirate getting away from us now."

Emma watched them scamper off, her mind in a whirl. Then Peter looked back at her, obviously expecting her to say something.

"So. You're all… you know. Real."

He laughed, and pushed a plate of what looked like roasted legs of some small animal toward her.

"As real as that pirate friend you came with," he replied. Emma realized the friendly gleam of his blue eyes had disappeared, replaced with something darker… and a bit unsettling. "Care to tell me where he ran off to?"

She was saved from answering by Nibs swinging down from a low-hanging root and snatching up a leg from her plate, making off with it before Peter could make a swat at his backside.

"Perhaps you should eat first," he said darkly. "Before these animals spirit away the rest of your food. We can discuss the whereabouts of your friend later."

Emma sank gratefully down onto the stool as he sauntered away, her eyes following him until he left the dining cavern. She swallowed. She couldn't tell them about Hook. If she could count on anything from the storybooks being real, the rivalry between the pirates and Peter Pan definitely was.

"You going to eat that?"

She looked down to see Tootles at her elbow, peering up at her with huge green eyes. Emma handed him one of the legs. He beamed at her, his freckles disappearing into adorable dimples, and perched on the stool next to her to inhale the food.

"How old are you?" Emma couldn't help but ask.

"Me?" He seemed to think for a moment. "Two-hundred-and-seventy-one." He grinned at her astonished expression. "I've been with Pan the longest. But you could call me seven."

"Two hundred and…" Emma stared at him. "Well—how old is Peter?"

"Oh, we stop counting once we get to three hundred here in Neverland. He stopped counting a long time before I got here."

Emma's head swirled. "So—you… you and the other Lost Boys are from our world. Right?"

Tootles grinned. "Yeah. From all over."

Emma glanced back to the tunnel where Pan had disappeared. "And… Peter? Is he from Earth too?"

"No." Tootles' smile dimmed, a frown taking its place. "No one knows where Peter's from. He went to your land, once. A long time ago. For a girl. But he left."

"The storybooks said that he stayed," Emma said. "That he grew up, became a regular man."

"He stayed for a while. That's when he began to age. He was thirteen or so when he went into your world. Nineteen when he came out. Hasn't aged since."

Emma tried to absorb all this. She jerked a thumb around at the group of Lost Boys lounging around the table, half eyeing her in blatant curiosity, others pretending to focus on their food while they listened. "So… all these kids," she murmured. "They're over a hundred years old."

"Rufio there's the youngest. He's ninety-three."

Rufio glanced up and gave him a dark glare, then resumed eating. "Still the most matured of you lot," he grumbled around a mouthful. "Second in age, second in command. It's how it works."

"I still got more life experience," Tootles shot back. Rufio rolled his eyes, but ignored him. Emma looked between the both of them for a moment, and then turned back to her own food. Her stomach was beginning to protest the amount of time she'd gone without. Picking up the strange dark leg between her fingers, she took a tentative bite, stripping the meat from the bone with her teeth. She grimaced. It had a distinctive gamey taste, but it would give her the energy she needed to get back to Henry.

She finished her meal quickly, with some unrequested help from Tootles, and was about to get up from the table when a light touch at her elbow made her jump out of her skin.

"Sorry," Pan laughed in her ear. "No footsteps, you know."

Emma turned around. "Would it kill you to make some noise before sneaking up on someone?"

Peter just grinned. "But where's the fun in that?"

Taking her by the elbow, he lifted her from the stool and steered her toward the exit of the cavern. His hand found the small of her back and he guided her through the winding tunnel and into blinding sunlight. Emma blinked, shielding her eyes with one arm.

Her eyes took a moment to adjust. They had emerged into a sheltered wooden glen, strewn with dappled light and deep shadow. Emma turned and looked back to see a huge, gnarled hollow tree, draped with twisted rope and leather loops. She blinked. Hangman's Tree, just like from the storybook. She searched the wide base, trying to find the place from which they'd exited—a door of some sort, a hole, trapdoor, anything—but the gnarly bark loomed as opaque as ever.

Peter glided away from her, his feet hardly skimming over the ground, and perched atop a lichen-covered log, his chin on his fist. His blue eyes assessed her, glittering in the eerie half-light. Finally, he swept an arm for her to seat herself on one of the other stumps.

"Now," he said, his voice smooth and conversational, although Emma's liar-senses could detect an underlying menace to it. She shivered involuntarily. He smiled, his teeth gleaming white in the shadows. "Let's talk about your friend."

* * *

Hook crested the hill toward the place where he'd left Emma, whistling as he hoisted his catch over his shoulder. Two rabbits had been easily snared in the traps he'd set. He chuckled to himself. He doubted Emma had been so lucky. Her cockiness over her archery skills had been exactly that—overblown and no doubt exaggerated. He doubted she'd be able to put an arrow in a five meter range of a deer.

He reached the top of the hill and set the rabbits down at the base of a tree, looking around for his companion.

"Have any luck?" he called, turning in a slow circle and scanning the trees. A frown darkened his brow, his smug smile fading. "Emma?"

The only sound in the forest was the soft trill of the birds high above. Hook's frown deepened. Forgetting his kill at the foot of the tree, he walked further into the forest, searching the shadows for any sign of a red leather jacket, a flash of blonde hair.

"Blasted girl," he swore under his breath. He stopped and ran a hand back through his hair. Trust her to open him up with soft words and an understanding smile while she wheedled his past from him, then turn tail and ditch him like she had back at the giant's lair. He swore again, more vilely this time. Hadn't he learned his lesson the first time? Pirates did not trust. It was how they stayed alive. And this woman was definitely not to be trusted.

He quickened his pace to a steady jog, sweeping the forest for her prints. He found them soon enough, small boot prints sunk into the soft forest floor. He'd always prided himself on his ability for land tracking. Not many pirates bothered to imbue that skill in their arsenal. Hook knelt beside the footprints, tracing them with a forefinger. She'd stopped here, for a while it looked like. The soft indentations in the soil implied she'd crouched, most likely sighting something with her bow and arrow. So—perhaps the girl had some skill. Whatever. It wouldn't help her now. Not when he caught up to her. He'd show her no mercy this time. Forget finding Henry—he'd put her out for good. One less obstacle in the way of finding his crocodile.

A glitter of light amidst the dirt caught his eye. Tilting his head, Hook leaned forward, reaching out to brush his fingers along the strange pink substance. The soft powder clung to his fingertips, and he drew them back, watching the way the light glinted off the rosy dust. Hook's anger faded.

No. No, she hadn't left him at all. She'd been taken.

He pinched the fine powder between his fingers, rubbing it until it trickled to the ground in a glittering stream. He took a deep, slow breath. Pan. He couldn't be allowed to know of Emma's importance to him. Pan knew all about his hunt for the crocodile. If he discovered that Emma was his enemy pirate's only way of getting back to this Storybrooke world where he could finally get his hook in the neck of that creature… well, Hook didn't want to think about what kind of leverage that would give Pan.

He lurched to his feet, his heart hammering. No. He couldn't let that happen. He had to get her back.

An inexplicable sense of alertness washed through him. The curious sensation that he was being watched. At first, his hand traveled down to the cutlass sheathed at his side, but then his mind snapped to a greater realization. A slow smile spread across his face.

"I know you're there, love," he said, low and clear. Lifting his hands in plain capitulation, for he knew his watcher was armed, he turned on his heel and smiled into the shadows.

"Come on out. We both know playing games will get us nowhere."

The woods were eerily silent for a still moment. Then, gliding soundlessly like a phantom over the forest floor, a figure slipped from the shadows. Muscular, distinct curves, covered teasingly by a slitted rawhide dress. Long, gleaming black hair that fell to her waist. A wicked looking bow with an obsidian-tipped arrow poised in the string. Flashing black eyes that missed nothing, not the twitch of a finger, not a nervous shift of the weight, not the slightest flicker in the gaze.

Pocahontas smiled as she walked forward, keeping the gleaming arrow trained right on his chest.

"Captain Hook. It's been a long time."


	5. Bargaining Chip

"Pocahontas," Hook smirked, undaunted by the wicked arrowhead hovering inches from his nose. He smiled at the Indian maiden before him, assessing the dark gleam of her eyes, the trademark striped flower tucked into her tousled braid. "Or should I call you by your childhood moniker? Tiger Lily."

"Call me whatever you like," came the smooth reply. "But I grew up and earned my warrior name. Tell me, Hook. Have you ever met a fully realized Piccaninny warrior?" She glided closer, slipping the arrow from the string and lifting it to Hook's chin, sliding the obsidian tip along the edge of his jaw in a menacing caress. "I've half a mind to send this straight into that pitiful brain."

"Yes, I suppose you would," Hook replied sadly, reaching up to grasp her wrist. Her eyes narrowed, but she didn't make to drive the arrow through his neck like she'd threatened. "We did part on such unfriendly terms."

"Mmm. Like you leaving me bound and helpless beneath a rising tide at Skull Rock."

Hook clucked his tongue in disdain, reaching up to brush a wandering strand of dark hair from her temple. Her eyes flickered dangerously, but he paid them no mind. "Tsk, dear, you know I wouldn't have truly left you. I had to do it in order to lure Pan into the cave. He would never have come if he hadn't believed you were really in danger."

"Hm, and you made it so convincing I was sure I was going to die as well."

Hook smiled. "All was the intention, my dear. See, if you hadn't believed it, there was no way in heavens Pan would've taken the bait. The brat would've left you to escape on your own devices and abandoned you without a bat of an eye."

"As you did," she snarled, wrenching her arm from his grip. "And that _brat, _Hook, bested you with one hand behind his back and a half-length dagger to boot."

"Let's not bring up trifles from the past," Hook said, taking her hand and gently lowering it from his throat. She didn't resist him, slowly returning the arrow to the leather quiver at her back.

"What are you doing here, Jones?"

"At the moment," he replied. "Looking for a particular brat. Have you seen him lately?"

She tipped her head back, a coy smile playing at her full lips. "And why would I tell you if I have?"

It was his turn to smile. He reached forward and slid his fingertips down her forearm, slipping his hand around her wrist and drawing her forward. Her hand came up to his chest, palm flat, but not pushing him away. He saw that familiar gleam in her eyes and his smile widened. This wouldn't be too difficult.

"Because, love, I do believe you owe me."

She laughed. "Me? Owe you? Ha! I don't believe we're even quite yet, but the debt most definitely isn't on my side. Is it twice now I've stuck my neck out for you? I saved you once from my father, and then again when the crocodile came here searching for you. No, Hook, I owe you nothing."

"Ah, but dearest, don't you remember who it was that drove the pale faces away from your Indian encampment all those moons ago? Why, aside from the Lost Boys and my crew, a pale face hasn't crossed these shores in two centuries."

She glared at him. "That's one, Hook. You still owe me for saving your ungrateful hide when my father ordered you executed."

"No, I believe I've already paid that off. You see, do you remember when the crocodile came here searching for me? Of course you do, you've only just mentioned it. Why, he was prepared to tear this entire island apart to get to me, but I ran him off into the netherworld for nigh half a century. Never has the famed Rumplestiltskin gone so long without the whisper of a deal."

She gave him a grudging smile. "Well then, it appears we're even, Jones. I owe you nothing."

"Ah-ah, not so fast. Surely you remember that fire that swept the west land, set by the scurvy Lost Boys themselves, in order to drive us pirates off the island? Was it not I that saved you by bringing you onto my ship?"

"You kidnapped me," she replied, outraged. "That was no rescue. You left my people to fend for themselves against the flaming forests. Our entire camp was burned to the ground."

"Aye, but you lived, did you not? Along with your kin."

"No thanks to you they did," she grumbled. "Fine, Hook. Perhaps I owe you my life on that one account. But that doesn't entrap me into helping you with whatever scheme you have against Peter Pan this time. I've washed my hands of the lot of you, Lost Boys and pirates and flying imbeciles and all."

Hook chuckled. "Imbecile? Is that any way to speak of your dearest love?"

Her eyes flashed. "He is most definitely not my dearest love."

"Oh? And I thought your father had betrothed you to him after his, shall we say, _heroic _actions in saving your life at Skull Rock."

"I stave off the altar with a hatchet," she declared passionately. "I'll not be joined with such a selfish child. And he'd as soon be wed with a single woman as forsake his pixie dust."

"Jealousy does not suit you, beautiful."

She sniffed. "Who said I was jealous?"

"It was that Wendy girl, was it not? You resent his blatant affection for her."

Pocahontas laughed. "Jealous of that netherlander? I forgot how funny you can be, Hook. What is there to be jealous of? The girl has wasted away into an old shriveled maid back in that magic-dry world of hers. I do not fault Pan for leaving her to return here. But if he thinks he can have me back after that stint, he's sorely mistaken." She looked at him, a sultry smile curling her red lips. "Besides," she added, her voice dropping to a deeper register. "Nowadays I prefer my men… less boyish. A little darker. Rogue."

Hook winked at her and let the cool metal of his hook trail up the length of her arm, coming to rest lightly against the dark skin of her throat. But she didn't seem threatened by the movement. Instead, she leaned into him, her hand threading through the leather hem of his jacket to his chest.

"Perhaps, then," he murmured. "You would assist me for old times' sake." He lowered his forehead to rest against hers, his lips just a fraction from her own. "And perhaps this time we'll not part on such frosty terms."

She smiled, a slow, corporeal smile. "What is it you want me to do?"

* * *

Emma swallowed hard. "I don't know who you're talking about."

Pan smiled. "Oh, but of course you do, Emma. Your friend—the pirate—tell me, does he retain all his appendages?" He lifted his fingertips to examine the nails, a dangerous light in his blue eyes. "Has he… oh, what was it again… a prosthesis of steel? A thirst for vengeance? A bloodlust pertaining to a particular crocodile…"

Emma stared at him. She bit her lip, hard, and didn't answer. Finally, Pan sighed.

"Come now, dearest, let's not be like this. Captain J. Hook is not to be trusted. Let me guess. He's promised to help you find someone. Someone you love, perhaps a lover or a child. Do you think he'll keep his word?"

Emma's mouth dropped open. "How… how did you…?"

Pan got to his feet and crossed the forest floor toward her, dropping to his knee and taking her hand in both of his.

"Because I _know _him, love," he said solemnly—and Emma couldn't help but be reminded at the way Killian called her love when he was trying to change her mind about something. "He uses honest, good-hearted people like you and twists them around for his own gain. Trust me. The minute he gets what he wants from you, he'll be gone. You won't even have a chance to blink."

Emma suddenly remembered the cold weight of the compass in her jeans pocket. Hook needed that just as much as she did to get back to Storybrooke. But he'd already had plenty of chances to take it from her. Wouldn't he have abandoned her already if that had been his intention?

She pulled her hand away from Peter's. "He's not my friend," she said. "But we need each other. Like it or not, he needs me in order to get back to his crocodile. And I need him in order to…" She swallowed. "He'd be an idiot to ditch me now."

"Mm." His shrewd blue eyes assessed her. "And where is he now? For not abandoning you, he's doing an excellent job at rescuing his partner in crime."

"He _hasn't _abandoned me," Emma snapped. "He's probably looking for me right now." She hesitated. "So if we're done here, I don't suppose you could—"

"Let you go?" He laughed. "Ah, but Emma, you're the closest I've come to getting a hook in that vagabond in over a century." The corner of his mouth quirked. "No pun intended. No, you see I've waited a hundred years for an opportunity like this. Now, finally the tables are turned. I have something that he wants this time, and all I must do is wait for him to come and get it."

Emma's heart sank. She tried to keep her voice level and menacing. "You can't keep me here."

"Ah, little Emma. But you've already told me of your value to him." He slipped finger beneath her chin, tipping her head back to meet his cool blue gaze. He smiled, his teeth white in the half-light, and Emma felt a shiver travel up her spine. "I'm not about to lose such a potent bargaining chip. No, I'm afraid you'll have to remain here until we lay eyes on your dear buccaneer. If your bond is as tight as you say, we won't be waiting long now, will we?"

Emma opened her mouth to argue, to fight, but he was already turning away from her, snapping an order to a Lost Boy who'd come up behind her without her realizing.

"Ruf, escort our guest to her room. Can't have her catching cold out here, can we?"

"Sir," Rufio acknowledged with a dip of his head. He moved toward Emma, who scrambled back.

"No, wait—Pan, I—"

But another pair of hands grabbed her from behind, tugging her back into Hangman's Tree. Emma fought, but the Lost Boys' otherworldly strength far outmatched hers. Within seconds, they tugged her into the tree, and the trapdoor to the hideout banged shut above her.

Everything went dark.

* * *

**All right. So that's it so far, but I've got a request for you all. I have several different directions I could turn this story in right now, but I'd like your feedback as to where you'd prefer this adventure to go. Please drop me a review or a PM and vote, I have three choices for you below to my various ideas. So… who would you rather me put in the story next? Review and vote below:**

**1. Henry - I'm thinking about dropping him right into Neverland. Do you want a mommy-son reunion sooner, or later?**

**2. Mermaids - If you pick them, I'll have the story go in a whole different direction. Perhaps more adventurous, definitely more Hook/Emma shenanigans.**

**3. Neal - All right, if I stick him in here, that means Hook will have to up his game with Emma. A little healthy man-to-man competition, eh? Whaddya think?**

**4. A Peter/Emma spark? I think this may be real interesting. Of course, the story will end up with Hook/Emma, duh, but it might add some extra thrill to the story to have her develop a little fling with Hook's archenemy. **

**5. Jefferson - Okay, this guy is such a babe, I've had multiple requests to bring him into the story. What do y'all think? **

**6. Your own angle. Any brilliant ideas you've been itching to see written about in a Captain Swan fic? Send 'em on over! I'll fit them in here some way or another. **

**Kk. Leave a vote in a review, and you can help take a hand in where this story goes! I'd like to write whatever you guys would be most interested in. **


	6. Author's Note

**Okay, first I'd like to start off by saying this is not a full-on chapter, only an author's note to keep you guys updated on the status of this fic. **

**Second, I'd like to apologize. I'm not discontinuing this fic, don't worry, but lately life has taken over in an outrageous way, what with getting ready for college and publishing my full original works and traveling and crazy business.**

**So, that said, I'm probably going to be taking a break from Fanfiction for a while, at least until the end of summer. I'm sorry again. I will be continuing this fic most likely in the future, so don't despair—most likely when Season 2 comes out to give me more inspiration. So count on sometime in the fall.**

**In the meantime, keep following me, and you'll get a notification/alert when I start up again. **

**Also, just a heads-up for the future postings:**

**Henry received no votes, so I'll wait a bit for a mommy/son reunion. Jefferson didn't receive many either. Neal received a few, but not enough to drag him in. Mermaids received tons, along with Peter/Emma and Emma/Hook craziness. So, thanks people! I can work with that.**

**Also, be prepared for a surprising plot-twist in the story when I return! **

…

**By the way, to any of you who are interested, I will be a published author by the end of the summer. My works will be out on Amazon Kindle. It's a trilogy I've been working on for six whole years! Look for me by my penname Tiffany North. The trilogy titles are as follows:**

**Book 1 - **_**Crowns of Fire … **_**by Tiffany North**

**Book 2 - **_**Blades of Silver ….. **_**by Tiffany North**

**Book 3 - **_**Hearts of Gold … **_**by Tiffany North**

**If any of you guys truly enjoy my writing, I'd very much like to ask y'all to check these out! They're literally like my babies—I've been working on the ideas for these stories for as long as I can remember. If the fact that I'm taking a break from this story for the summer really disappoints any of you, you could read these while waiting for the next chapter update. :) **

**Again, thank you all for your support and reviews. I'll be back soon. Love ya!**

—**Sunny**


	7. GUESS WHAT

**I am officially a published author!**

**NOW PLEASE HELP ME OUT. :)**

**My full published works are currently on Amazon Kindle. To all of you who have enjoyed my stores so far, I'd absolutely love it if you would read and review my life's masterpiece (something I've spent over six years on, and has been ten years in the coming). **

**The link to finding them will be posted on my twitter, tiffanyanorth. Just follow me and go to Amazon and look them up. :)**

**The finalized works are as follows:**

* * *

Book **1** of the _Crowns of Fire Trilogy_

_** ***** Crowns of Fire **_** by Tiffany North**

Book **2** of the _Crowns of Fire Trilogy _

_** ***** Dance of Dragons **_**by Tiffany North**

Book **3** of the _Crowns of Fire Trilogy _

_** ***** Stones of Shadow **_**by Tiffany North**

* * *

**This also means I can finally get back to fanfiction soon, as this has completely ruled my work life in publishing these books. :) **

**Many thanks to **_**hihazuki **_**for collaborative help on these novels' coverart, and overall help throughout the editing process! AND A GIANT THANK YOU TO ALL MY READERS OF THIS FANFICTION, WHO HAVE HELPED INSPIRE ME WITH YOUR GLOWING ENCOURAGEMENT AND PRAISE TO CONTINUE TO WRITE AND STRIVE FOR BIGGER THINGS. :)**

**Thank you so much! **

**I'll absolutely adore you (though I already do) if you go and read my brand new books (my first ever published!) **

**LOVE YOU ALL!**

—**Sunny**

**P.S. **

**As per request of _werewolf120, _I'll put in a tiny snippet of what these books are about.  
**

** Here is the book description from the first novel, on the back cover: **

**"**A prince with a dark past. A crippled orphan. A telepathic girl who was never meant to survive. A self-centered basketball star. Twin sisters struggling through college. And a little girl with faith strong enough to move mountains.

What happens when seven strangers from different worlds collide? Can they unite to save a realm oppressed by a tyrannical sorcerer?

Join a world where dragons roam free, centaurs battle for the forests, and mermaids thrive beneath deep blue lagoons. Legends are made, kingdoms war, and magic—dark and light—clashes while a reign of fear looms over the land.

Tiffany North weaves a compelling tale of hope and conflict, life and death, victory and loss. Follow seven heroes' unforgettable journey as they discover not only a strange new land, but their purpose in it.**"**

**They are all three on Amazon Kindle as of 21 hours ago (I'm so excited!) and I'd be head over heels thrilled if you bought and read them :) I couldn't make them free (some annoying Amazon policy says they have to make a profit from whatever I sell)-so I put them at the lowest possible price: 99 cents each. :) Soon I will have them available to be ordered in paperback as well.  
Thanks so much! Have a fantastic rest of your summer,  
-Sunny**


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